All good things must end, and so it is with the summer of 2019. However, the good folks at California’s Domaine Chandon are ensuring that we can send summer off if not with a bang, then a least a resounding “pop.”

The winery’s limited edition “Summer Edition” bottlings of its sparkling Brut and Brut Rosé flaunt vibrant designs inspired by the colourful, flowing style popular during the company’s inception in the 1970s. The sparkling wines in these bottles are every bit a vibrant and dynamic as their packages.

Both, not surprisingly, fit the so-close-to-Champagne-without-being-Champagne mold. The Brut offers up baked apple, hazelnut, and toasty bread dough aromas, with just a bare hint of smoky yeasty undertones. The fine mousse leads to a creamy but lively mouthfeel, with green apple crispness balanced by a fairly rich, mildly toasty/nutty palate.

The Brut Rosé sports a captivating salmon/pink hue that leads to fragrant scents of strawberry, red apple, cranberry, rhubarb, and maybe just a trace of watermelon. As silky and crisp as its Brut counterpart, the Brut Rosé is impeccably balanced, with ripe red fruit flavours and dynamic tension between zesty acidity and rich, layered fruit.

Two wines to definitely consider for a sparkling sendoff to summer…or to hang on to the season for just a bit longer.